Department History

 

Since its establishment on 15th June 2007 under Law No. 23 of 2006, the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department has invested heavily in many far-reaching programs. A the top of these programs comes infrastructure reinforcement, especially the human resources and the organizational structure. Others include the development of work environment in terms of service delivery, premises expansion and qualification courses to enable the workforce carry out their duties successfully. Not to forget also the launch and implementation of many key initiatives provided for in the Department Strategy 2008 – 2013. Rapid and vivid, those programs capitalize on a wide-scale range of achievements made by the the Shari’a Judicial Department, established in 1974  Not to forget in this regard that our recent Judiciary was robustly founded and supported by His Highness the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan following his accession to power as the Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in 1966. The following milestones can be tracked in the history of Abu Dhabi Judiciary:

• In 1968, the Law of Courts was issued and established the Emirate’s Judicial Power into three circuits in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al Dhafra. The Law also created courts within each one of these circuits. Two judges were appointed to each court; the first judge, known as a ‘Shari’a Judge’, was authorized to review Personal Status cases; the second judge, known as a ‘Civil Judge’, had the jurisdiction over all other cases.
• In 1969, His Eminence the late Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz Al Mubarak was appointed as the Chairman of the Shari’a Judicial Department. During his tenure, the Department grew to include the Shari’a, Civil and Criminal Courts and reported directly to the office of HH the President, in his capacity as the Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
• On 2nd May 1994, His Excellency Sultan Bin Saeed Al Badi was appointed Chairman of the Shari’a Judiciary, pursuant to Decree No. 23/1 issued by the Executive Council in its session 6/94. The Judiciary continued to officially and financially report to the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. 

In 2006, the local Law No. 22 was issued to amend the provisions of Law No. 1/1974 concerning the restructuring of Government Apparatus in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The Law establishes an independent Judicial Department for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, substituting the Shari’a Judicial Department and reporting to the Ruler.

• on 17th December 2007, Local Law No. 23 was issued, creating a Judicial Department in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Article (2) of the said Law provided for the following:
  • A department, named ‘The Judicial Department’, shall be created in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and shall report to the Ruler. A chairman of the department shall be appointed by virtue of an Emiri Decree.
  • The Department shall have an organizational structure to be issued by virtue of a decree by the President
• On 17th December 2006, His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan was empowered as the Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department pursuant to the Emiri Decree No. 12 of 2006
• On 22nd  May 2007, His Excellency, the Counsel Sultan Saeed Al Badi was appointed as the Undersecretary of the Judicial Department pursuant to the Emiri Decree No. 13 of 2007
• On 23rd May 2007, the Counsel Yousef Saeed Al Ibri was appointed as Senior Public Prosecutor, acting at Attorney General, by virtue of Decree No. 18 of 2007
• On 3 september 2006, Mr. Allal Bin Abdul Salam Leboudi, Judge, was appointed as President of the Court of Cassation by virtue of Decree No. 24 of 2007         
• On 22nd of September 2007, His Highness the Chairman of the Judicial Department, issued a Decision to establish “Government Cases Section” and to be reporting to the Department Undersecretary
• By the end of 2007, the ‘Fatwa Division’ was created upon the Decision No. 32/2007 issued by His Highness the Chairman of the Judicial Department
• On 26th of March 2008, an Emiri Decree was issued appointing Kholood Ahmad Juan Al Dhaheri as First Instance Judge to be the first Emirati female sworn-in judge
• In May 2008, the Commercial Court was established upon an initiative by His Highness the Chairman of the Judicial Department after it was part of the Civil Judiciary
• On 12th October 2008, the establishment of the Academy of Judicial Studies and Specialized Training was announced to be a state-of-the-art educational institution to qualify and train judges and prosecutors.
• On 13th November 2008, Fatima Saeed Obeid Al Awani was named to the post of Marriage Official, the first Emirati female to hold such a post

• On April 22, 2014, The Chairman of Abu Dhabi Judicial Department a decree No. 5 of 2014 about the Organizational Structure of Abu DhabiJudicial Department

• On August 4, 2014, His Excellency, the Counsel Yousef Saeed Al Abri was appointed as acting Undersecretary of Abu Dhabi Judicial, by Decree No. 10 of 2014
• On August 4, 2014, His Excellency, the Counsel Ali Mohammed Abdullah Al Balushi  was appointed as acting Attorney General of the Abu Dhabi, by Emiri Decree No. 10 of 2014

All these changes and developments in several areas are intended to accomplish the Department vision and mission and to enhance its values for the staff and the community as well. Those milestones point out that the ambitious goals, included in the Department Strategy, are achievable as long as justice is administered transparently, accurately and based on best practices. It is then the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department can set an example internationally​